Mower structure



' June 1o, 1941.

H. W. SIMPSON MOWER STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 22, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORN E YS June 10, 1941.

H. w. slMPsoN MOWER STRUCTURE y Filed Jan. 22, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2` .mda

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INVENTOR.

OHARD W. SIM PSON ATTORNEYS Junio, 1941.

H. W. SIMPSON MOWEB STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 22, 1940 v 4 sheets-sheet 3 INVENTOR.

HowARp w. SIMPSON BY g` l ATTORNEY? June l0, 1941. w, slMPsoN MOWER STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 22, 1940 4 sheets-sheet 4 o'll Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE A MOWER STRUCTURE Howard WJSI'ipson, Dearborn, Mich., assigner to Detroit Harvester Company, Detroit, 'Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application Janary 2z, 1940, serial No. 315,112v

' (ci. ses- 25) 19 Claims.

The present invention relates to a mower structure and more particularly to a combined tractor-mower in which the mower is power driven from a power take-olf on the tractor.

The mower arm is arranged intermediate th front and rear wheels of the tractor and is mounted for vertical swinging movement relative to a support. The support is mounted for limited vertical movement and for limited rearward movement. Means are provided eiective upon rearward movement of thesupport to disengage' the clutch to arrest forward motion of the tractor.

Novel means are provided for transmitting power from the power take-off of the tractor to the mowing mechanism, comprising a telescoping torque transmitting shaft and a telescoping tubular housing therefor.

Novel means are provided, including a hydraulically actuated lever on the tractor together with a novel arrangement of parts for irst swinging the mowing arm to substantially vertical position and then effecting vertical movement of the mower arm support.

Further novel means are provided for adjusting the angularity of the mowing arm about a transverse horizontal axis to regulate the height of cut. In addition, the entire mowing structure is arrangedfor ready attachment and detachment, pinned connections being provided.

'I'he foregoing comprises the principal objects of the'invention, and other objects of the invention will be apparent as the description proceeds,

improved ure1;

Figure 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of- Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a side elevation with parts in section of a somewhat different embodiment of my improved tractor-mower combination; Figure 9 is a longitudinal Section of/'a somethrough suitable transmission means including Y what different embodiment of torque transmitting shaft and housing therefor;

Figure 10 is a section on the line IIl'-IIl, Figure 1.

Referring irst to Figures l to '7, I have illustrated generally at III a tractor comprising a main frame II having afront axle I2 and a rear axle I3. Suitable motor means are provided within a hood I4, and are adapted both to drive the tractor'forwardly and rearwardly a conventional clutch. The motor means is also adapted to drive -the power take-oil, including a shaft I5 and sheave I6. 4

The mower mechanism comprises a support I1 to which is secured an inner shoe I8. The shoe I8 is pivoted to the support for vertical swinging movement about an axis delned by the pivot connection indicated at I9 in Figure 2 and the center of a universal joint 20 within a universally adjustable housing 2|.

Rigidly secured to the shoe I8 is a mower arm 22 in which is mounted for longitudinal reciplrocation a sickle bar 23 carrying the cutting vsectors 24 shown inFigureZ. K The sickle bar 23 isvconnected by a pitnran"`25 with a crank pin 26 carried'by a crank 21 which is driven from the lpower take-off in a manner which will subsequently be described.

The support I1 is connected to the frame II of the tractor by a bar- 28 which is secured to the frame of the ltractor :by a bracket 29 and a universal connection 30. f Accordingly, the

bar 28 limits movement of thesupport I1 about the center of the universal joint 30. The connection between the bar 28 and the support I1, as indicated at 3| in Figure 3, permits adjustment of the support I1 about a transverse horizontal axis. as will subsequently be described.

The power take-ofi shaft I5, previously referred to, is connected lby a plurality of V-belts or ,other suitable drive means 32 to a plurality of sheaves 33 mounted'on a shaft 34. The shaft 34 is mounted in a housing 35 rigidly secured as by bolting or otherwise to the rear axle I3 of 4the tractor, al1 asbest seen in Figure 1. The shaft 34 carries at one end thereof one element 36 'of a torque transmitting universal joint 31, the other element 38 being connected to the torque transmitting shaft which transmits the p'ower to the crank 21. As best seenin Figure 5, the element 38 of the universal joint has a stub section' 40 which is received within a torque transmitting tubular member 4I rigidly secured there- 'to as `by weldingor the' like, as indicated at 42.

The tubular member 4|, at its opposite end, carries'a shaft 43 rigidly secured thereto as indi' to one element 48 of the universal joint 28 previously referred to. The connection between the tubular shaft 46 and the element 48 of the universal joint is indicated as comprising a short section 58 received within tubular shaft 46 and as including a. welded connection It will be evident that a torque will be transmitted from the single element 38 to the universal joint element 48 through the medium of the tubular member 4|, shaft 43, and tubular shaft 46. At the same time the parts are telescopically arranged, the tubular shaft 46 being adapted to slide longitudinally over the splined shaft 45.

In order to protect the torque transmitting telescopic shafts just described, the tubular housing indicated generally at 52 is provided. 'I'his comprises a spherically formed cap 53 cooperating in universally adjusted relation with a spherically formed inner shell 54 and a spherically formed outer shell 55. Shells 54 and 55, as indicated in Figure 1, are secured to the shaft housing 35, and cooperate therewith to form a complete housing for the universal joint 31.V At the opposite end of the torque transmitting assembly is a spherically formed shell 68 cooperating in universally adjusted relation with a spherically formed inner shell 6| and an outer shell 62. Shells 6| and 62, as best indicated in Figure 1,

are rigidly secured to a crank shaft housing 63 with which they form the housing 2| for the universal joint 28. Housing 63 is in turn rigid with the support I1.

Intermediate the spherically formed shells 53 and 68, I provide a tubular member 64 welded or otherwise secured to a flange 65 on shell 53, and a cooperating tubular member 66 welded or otherwise secured within a flange 61 formed on the shell 68. Tubular member 66 is slidably re, ceived Within the tubular member 64 in telescoping relation. The opposite end of the tubular member 64 is threaded as indicated at 68 and receives a tubular nut 68 having an annular inwardly projecting shoulder 18 formed thereon. Tubular member 66 at the end received within the tubular member 64 has an annular abutment 1| permanently secured thereto, as indicated by the soldered connection 12. The annular abutment 1| is adapted to engage the inwardly extending shoulder 18 on the lock nut 69 and to limit extension of the housing 5,2.

A compression spring 13 is received within the housing 52 surrounding the torque transmitting drive shaft assembly and its ends are adapted to abut the flange 65 f the shell 53 and a shoulder within the i'lange 61 of the shell 68. This compression spring 13 is of sufficient strength so thatunder normal operative conditions it retains the abutment 1| in engagement with the inwardly extending shoulder 18, thus keeping the telescoping drive shaft and housing assembly fully extended. Under abnormal conditions of strain, however, the spring 13 is adapted to yield and permit rearward movement of the support |1 previously referred to. Thus, for example, when the mower arm 22 strikes an immovable object, the support |1 yields rearwardly, thus cushioning the shock and also releasing the clutch by means which will subsequently be described. Preferhousing 52 is of such dimensions that the adjacent convolutions thereof may contact with each other to limit collapse of the housing 52 of the associated telescoping shafts 4| and 46.

As best seen in Figures 1 and 3, the support I1 is limited as to downward movement and is continuously urged upwardly by means of a bell crank 80 pivoted to a bracket 8I carried by the frame of the tractor. The bell crank 88 is connected to the support l1 as by means of a chain 82, and is urged in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Figure l, by a spring 83 connected to a bracket 84 secured to the frame of the tractor adjacent the rear axle. Suitable means indicated at 85 are provided for adjusting the tension of the spring 83.

The bell crank 88 as thus far described is 'adapted to apply a lifting force continuously to the support |1, but the force exerted by the spring 83 is less than sucient to completely counterbalance the weight of the support I1 and its associated structure. Manual means are provided for further actuating the bell crank 88, and these take the form of a lever 86 having locking means actuated by the release 81 associated with a toothed sector 88. The bell crank 80, as best seen in Figures 4 and l0, has an offset portion 89 ably the coil spring 13 received within the shaft 75 extending into the path of movement of the lever 88. As a result, movement of the lever 86 rearwardly, as seen in Figure 1, results in positive rotation of the bell crank 88 and positive lifting of the support |1. By this means it is possible to limit the downward position of the support I1. Since the offset portion 88 engages lever 86 at one side only, upward movement of the support I1, due to external causes such as riding over a high point on the ground, is permitted. This upward movement of the support I1 permits bell crank 88 to rotate under the influence of spring 83, thus causing offset portions 89 to move away from lever 86. As soon as the support I1 passes over the high point on the ground, it drops down to its initial position, determined by the setting of lever 86, where offset portion 89 again abuts lever 86.

Referring now particularly to Figure 3, the shoe I8 is provided with a vertically upstanding arm 90, by means of which the shoe and the associated mower arm are adapted to be swung upwardly. Secured to the upper end of the arm 98 is a tension spring 9|, the opposite end of which is secured as indicated at 92 to a bracket 93 secured to the frame of the tractor and to which in turn is secured the bracket 8| previously referred to. As best seen in Figure 1, the tension spring 9| exerts a clockwise moment on the shoe I8, and counterbalances a portion of the weight thereof. The spring 8| is selected so that it is insufficient to actually raise the mower arm, but it counterbalances a major portion of the weight thereof and permits the mowing arm to rest lightly on the ground. As a result, springs 9| and 83 together insure that the mowing arm as a whole will rest lightly on the ground, with the spring 83 counterbalancing a large portion of the weight of the assembly at the inner end and exerting a direct lift thereon, and the spring 9| exerts a lifting moment which tends to swing the mowing arm vertically.

The support I1 has an upstanding lug 95 to which, is pivoted a bell crank 96 having a generally horizontally extending arm 91and a generally vertically extending arm 98. The arm 98 is connected by a link 99 t'o the arm 98 of the inner shoe I8, and the generally horizontally extending power lift.

It will be evident that when the cable is drawn upwardly as'v seen in Figure '3, the bell crank 06 will be rocked in acounterclockwise di'- rection. This will be effective to swing the shoe i0 about the pivoted axis i0, thus swinging the arm 01 is connected to a cable |00 for effecting a hydraulically actuated lever |0| lwhich is actuated from a piston |02 received within a hydraulic cylinder |03. The tractor carries a pump |04 connected to the cylinder |03 by a suitable conduit |05, and manually operable means indicated herein as a lever |06 is provided for energizing the hydraulic means. `The arrangement is such that upon movement of the lever |06 in one direction, the hydraulically actuated lever |0| swings to one extreme position and returns to its original position upon movement of the manual ynently attached thereto.

ating arm is provided on the outer shell 02 of the housing for the universal joint 20, all as best illustrated in Figure 1.

' An adjustable link ||2 interconnects the arms fi I0 and having for this purpose a universal connection indicated at H3. I have illustrated the adjustment as being provided by a pair of lock nuts ||4. Asv willl be evident from this i18- ure, adjustment of the nuts ||4 provides an angular adjustment between housing 52 and the support |1. This has the effect of swinging the support I1 about the connection 3| so that the mower arm'22 will be tilted relative to the ground to vary the height of cut made by the sickle bar 23 of the assembly.

As previously stated, automatic means are provided for .disengaging the clutch of the tractor transmission when the mower arm encounters severe resistances. This takes the form of an actuating element |20 which includes a rod |2| slidably associated vwith a bracket |22, which for convenience is secured to the arm ||0 by one of the lock nuts ||4.S The rod |2| is bifurcated asindicated at |23, and a iiat bar |24 is perma- A compression spring |25 surrounds the rod |2|, abutting at one end against the corners of the flat bar |24 and seating at the other end against the bracket |22.

control lever |06 to its other position. The details` I of this arrangement form no part of the present invention, and in fact the hydraulically actuated lever |0| is standard equipment on this type of tractor.

The lever |0| is directly connected to the cable |00 which is led around a sheave |01 carried by the housing previously described. The cable |00 also leads over a sheave |08 carried by-the mounting for the bell crank 80 and the manual lever 86, and from the sheave |00 leads substantially vertically downwardly to the generally horizontal arm 91 of the bell crank 96.

The vmeans for supporting the mowing apparatus in operative position have now been described and may advantageously be reviewed at this point. The support |1 is connected to the tractor frame by the bar 28 which permits limited universal movement thereof. The support I1 is connected to the frame of the tractor by the tubular housing 52 and is urged into extreme forward position by compression spring 13.

This forward position is limited by engagement.

of the abutment 1| with the annular ange 10 of the lock nut 69. The-parts thus far described therefore, effectively limit normal motion of the support |1 to substantially vertical movement about the center of the pivot connection 30. Rearward movement thereof under unusual circumstances is permitted by collapse of the spring 13. Downward movement of the support l1 is limited by means of the chain 82, the bell crank 80, the oifset projection 80 on the bell crank, and the manual lever 86. In addition a portion of the weight of the support |1 and the associatedy structure is counterbalanced by means ofthe spring 83 which acts vertically upwardly on the support I1. Furthermore, a llifting moment which counterbalances a portion of the weight medium of the arm 90 by means of the spring 9|.

As previously stated, the-support |1 is adjustable about a transverse horizontal axis and specifically about the connection 3| between said support and the supporting bar 28. In order to provide this adjustment, an arm ||0 is provided on the ange 61 of the shell 60', and the cooperlof the mower arm 22 is applied through the This spring is adapted upon the application of abnormal -force to permit the rod |2| to slide forwardly through the eye in the bracket |22, as can be seen in Figure 2. Its strength is however suiiicient to first actuate and release the tractor clutch, as will now be described.,

Referring now to Figures 1, 6 and 7, a lever I |30 is pivoted to the frame of the tractor as indicated at 3|. The fee end of the lever |30 has a plate |32 secured thereto, a Welded connection |33 being indicated in Figure 6. A pin |34 spans the space between the free end of the lever |30 and the plate |32. The fiat bar |24, as best seen in Figure 7, is provided with a notch |35 adapted to cooperate with the pin |34. Rearward movement of the .support i1 effects a corresponding rearward movement of the bracket |22, which effects a corresponding swinging movement of the lever |30.' The lever |30 has connected thereto a link |36 which extends forwardly of the tractor and connects through the mediumv of a lever |31 to the clutch actuating shaft |38, as indicated in Figure 2. The shaft |30 is normally actuated by the operator of the vehicle through a link |30 connected to a conventional clutch operated pedal, as is Well understood.

It will be evident when the tractor is inforward motion, and when the mowing arm encounters severe resistance, the support |1 moves rearwardly and results in a corresponding rearward motion of the clutch actuating element |20. This effects rearward swinging of the lever |30 and a corresponding rotation of the clutch actuating shaft |38. Further rearward movement of the support i1 after actuation of the clutch actuating shaft |30 results in compression lof the spring |2|.

In Figures 8 and 9 I have illustrated a somewhat different embodiment of my invention. This embodiment is for the most part substantially similar to the embodiment previously described, and accordingly the description thereofv will be limited to the points that differ. In this modification the power lift is somewhat `modified, an extension 200 being secured to the 251 in the extension 200 and is adapted to operate substantially the same as in the previous embodiment. Movement of the lever 181 in a clockwise direction under the impulse of the hydraulically actuated piston 182 swings the lever 181 and its extension 200 in a direction to draw the cable upwardly and to first swing the mower arm 22 to substantially vertical position and then to lift the support 11 substantially vertically.

In this embodiment of my invention I have provided a somewhat different arrangement of mechanism for transmitting torque from the power take-off to the crank 21.

Referring now to Figure 9, I have illustrated the universal joint 31 as comprising elements 36 and 38, and the universal joint as comprising the elements 48 and 48. The element 48', as will be understood, is connected directly to a shaft for rotating the crank 21. The torque transmitting means is indicated generally at 210 and the housing means is indicated generally at 211. The torque transmitting means comprises a short tubular shaft 212 carried by a suitable section 213 of the universal joint element 38. I have illustrated at 214 a welded connection between the stub section 213 and the tubular shaft 212. The shaft 212 in addition carries a splined shaft 215 which is rigidly secured thereto as by means of the welded connection indicated at 215. At the opposite end the universal joint element 4l is provided with a similar stub section 211 to which is permanently secured an internally splined tubular shaft 218 which is adapted to receive the splined shaft 210 in a telescoping and torque transmitting relation,

The universal joint 31 is housed in part by the housing element 35 and in part by an inner spherically formed shell 219 and a cooperating outer spherically formed shell 220. The housing for the universal joint 31 is completed bya universally adjustable spherically formed shell 221 which is provided with a collar 222 carrying a flange 223. In like manner the universal joint 20 is housed in part by the inner spherically formed shell 224 and the outer spherically formed shell 225 permanentlysecured to the housing for the crank shaft which rotates the crank 21. Cooperating with the shells 224 and 225 is a spherically formed shell 226 having an enlarged tubular flange 221 thereon. The housing 211 comprises a tubular element 228 carried by the flange 223 and provided inwardly thereof with a tubular stop 229 permanently secured thereto as indicated by the welded connection 230. A second tubular housing member 231 is permanently secured within the tubular flange 221 as indicated by the welded connection 232 and is adapted to extend within the tubular stop 229. Carried at the opposite end of the tubular member 231 is an outwardly extending tubular stop 233 which is adapted to engage with the inwardly extending tubular stop 229 previously referred to. When the stops 233 and 229 are in engagement, further extension of the telescoping housing 21 1 and the telescoping torque transmitting shaft 210 is effectively prevented.

In this instance, instead of providing compression springs surrounding the torque transmitting shaft 210 and received within the housing 211, I provide a separate spring 240 secured to a lug 241 on the support 11 and connected at its opposite end as indicated at 242 to a bracket carried by the frame of the tractor.

In this embodiment of my invention I provide substantially identical means for effecting angular adjustment of the support 11 and hence of the shoe 18 and associated structure about a transverse horizontal axis. 'Ihis comprises an arm 250 carried by the flange 221 and an arm 251 carried-by the outer shell 225. An adjustable link 226 is provided for angularly adjusting the support 11 as previously described. Another change in this modification is in the omission of a bell crank 85 (Figure 3). In Figure 8 I have shown the cable 10U as passing under a. pulley 260 and connected at its end to the yertically upstanding arm 91|. When cable 100 is drawn rearwardly by lifting of lever 101, arm 30 (Fig-r ure 3) is swung, thus lifting the mower arm.

An important feature of the present invention is the structural arrangement which facilitates attachment and detachment of the entire mowing assembly. As well illustrated in Figure 1, the entire mowing apparatus is connected to the tractor at only three points. The housing 35, bolted or otherwise secured to the rear axle, supports the shaft 34, and also supports the rear end of the propeller shaft 210 and propeller housing 211. The bar 28 is connected to the tractor by the bracket 29, and assists in supporting the mower support 11 and the mower arm 22. The bracket 81 supports the manual lift lever 85, the bell crank 80 and the sheave 108. As will be readily apparent, if the brackets and housings 35, 8| and 29 are disengaged or released from the tractor, the entire mowing apparatus may be readily removed.

This arrangement of parts, by means of which the entire mowing apparatus may be removed upon releasing three supports, contributes substantially to the utility of the apparatus, inasmuch as it greatly facilitates attachment and detachment of the mowing apparatus.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a tractor-mower having a power takeoff and a mower drive, means for transmitting power from said power take-off to said mower drive comprising a torque shaft having splined, telescoping members, a tubular housing for said shaft composed of telescoping tubularmembers, stop means on said tubular members limiting extension ,of said housing, and means to limit shortening of the housing including a coil compression spring in said housing and surrounding said shaft.

2. In a mowing machine, a tractor having a power take-off shaft, a sickle bar adjacent the tractor, and a driving connection between the power take-off shaft and sickle bar including spaced universal joints, one being operatively connected to the power take-olf shaft, the other being operatively connected to the sickle bar, each of said universal joints having a stub section, a tube rigid with and projecting endwise from one of said stub sections, a shaft rigid with and projecting endwise from said tube, and a tube rigid with the other stub section and splined upon the shaft just mentioned, a protecting housing for said tubes and associated shaft including inner and outer spherically formed shells for said universal joints, spherically formed intermediate shells between and movable relative to the inner and outer shells, said intermediate shells having axially extending tubular portions provided with lateral anges, telescoping tubes rigidly secured to said lateral flanges, and means for limiting extension of the housing including a nut adjustable on the outermost of said telescoping tubes at its free end and provided beyond said free end with an inwardly projecting said telescoping tubes at its free end and engageable with said shoulder.

3. In a mowing machine, a tractor having a power take-off shaft. a sickle bar adjacent the tractor, and a driving connection between the power take-off shaft and sickle bar including spaced universal joints, one being operatively connected to the power take-off shaft, the other being operatively connected to the sickle bar, each of said universal joints having a stub section, a tube rigid with and projecting endwise from one of said stub sections, a shaft rigid with and projecting endwise from said tube, and a tube rigid with the other stub section and splined upon the shaft just mentioned, a protecting housing for said tubes and associated shaft including inner and outer spherically formed shells for said universal joints, spherically formed intermediate shells between and movable relative to the inner and outer shells, said intermediate shells having axially extending tubular portions provided with lateral flanges, telescoping tubes rigidly secured to said lateral flanges, means for4 limiting extension of the housing including a nut adjustable on the outermost of said telescoping tubes at its free end and provided beyond said free end with an inwardly projecting shoulder, and a'collar xed to the innermost of said telescoping tubes at its free end and engageable with said shoulder, and means normally maintaining the telescoping tubes in limited extended position as aforesaid including a compression spring sleeved upon the rst twoV mentioned tubes within the telescoping tubes and having opposite ends thereof abutting the lateral flanges of said telescoping tubes.

4. In a tractor mower having a power takeoff and a mower drive; means for transmitting power from the power take-off to the mower drive comprising spaced universal joints, and telescoping driving means extending between said universal joints, and a housing for said universal joints and telescopingdriving means comprising universally mounted spherical caps for said universal joints, each having a tubular part pro- -vided with a flange, a tube rigid with one of said flanges and sleeved upon the telescoping driving means, a tube rigid with the other of said flanges and telescoping the rst mentioned tube, an abutment on one of said tubes at its free end, and a nut adjustable on the other tube at its free end and having a shoulder engageable with the abutment to limit extension of the housing.

5. In a tractor mower having a power take-olf and a mower drive; means for transmitting power from the power take-oi to the mower drive comprising spaced universal joints, and telescoping driving means extending between said universal joints, and a housing for said universal joints and telescoping driving means comprising universally mounted spherical caps for said universal joints, telescoping tubes enclosing said telescoping driving means, rigid anchorage means on said caps for the remote ends of said tubes, one ofA said tubes having an abutment at its free end, and a nut adjustably mounted on the other tube at its free end and having a shoulder engageable with said abutment to limit extension of the housing.

6. In a tractor mower having apower take-off and a mower drive; means for transmitting power from the powertake-off to the mower drive comprising spaced universal joints, and

telescoping driving means extending between said universal joints, and a housing for said universal joints and telescoping driving means comprising universally mounted spherical capsl for said universal joints, telescoping tubes enclosing said telescoping driving means, rigid anchorage means on said caps for the remote ends of said tubes, one of said tubes having an abutment at its free end, a nut adjustably mounted on the other .tube at its free end and having a shoulder engageable with said abutment to limit extension of the housing, and means normally retaining th'e abutment in engagement with the shoulder and adapted under abnormal conditions to yield and permit shortening of the housing, comprising a compression spring sleeved upon the telescoping driving means within the housing and having opposite ends thereof abutting portions of the caps.

7. In a tractor mower having a power takeoi and a mower drive; means for transmitting power from the power take-oil to-the mower drive comprising spaced universal joints, and telescoping driving means extending between said universal joints, a housing for said universal joints and telescoping-driving means comprising universally mounted spherical caps for said universal joints, telescoping tubes enclosing said telescoping driving means, and rigid anchorage means on said caps for the remote ends of said tubes, one of said tubes having an abutment at its free end, a nut adjustably mounted on the other tube at its free end and having a shoulder engageable with said abutment to limit extension of the housing, and means normally retaining the abutment in engagement with the shoulder and adapted under abnormal conditions to yield and permit shortening of the housing, comprising a compression spring sleeved upon the telescoping driving means within the housing and having opposite ends thereof abutting portions of the caps, the dimensions of the spring being such that adjacent convolutions thereof may contact with each other to limit collapse of the housing. 4

. 8. In a tractor mower having a clutch actuating shaft, a pivotally mounted lever operatively -connected to said shaft, and a mower support:

means operable by the support for actuating the shaft comprising a pin carried by the lever, a bracket carried by the support, a rod slidably engaging said bracket, a bar extending endwise from the rod and having a notch for the'pin, and a coil spring sleeved 0n the rod and abutting the bracket and bar.

9. In a mowing machine, a tractor having a power take-olf shaft, a clutch, and a clutch operating member, a sickle bar adjacent the tractor, a driving connection between the power takeo and sickle bar including a propeller shaft, a housing for said propeller shaft, an arm rigid with said housing, and means for actuating the clutch operating member to render the clutch of the tractor inoperative, including a bracket secured to the arm, a pivotally mounted lever carried by the tractor and operatively connected to the clutch operating member, and an operating connection between the bracket and lever vincluding a rod slidably engaging the bracket,

a bar extending endwise from the rod and operatively connected to the lever, and a spring erating member, a sickle bar adjacent the tractor, a driving connection between the power take-oil and sickle bar including a propeller shaft, a housing for said propeller shaft, an arm rigid with said housing, and means for actuating the clutch operating member to render the clutch of the tractor inoperative, including a bracket secured to the arm, a pivotally mounted lever carried by the tractor and operatively connected to the clutch operating member, and an operating connection between the bracket and lever includingY a .pin on the lever, a rod slidably engaging the bracket, a bar extending endwise from the rodand having a notch receiving said pin, and a spring sleeved on the rod and bearing against the bar and bracket.

11. In a tractor mower having a power takeoff and a mower drive; means for transmitting power from the power take-off to the mower drive comprising spaced universal joints, and telescoping driving means extending between said universal joints, and a housing for said universal joints and telescoping driving means comprising universally mounted spherical caps for said universal joints, telescoping tubes enclosing said telescoping driving means, rigid anchorage means on said caps for the remote ends of said tubes, and stops rigid with said tubes at the free ends thereof and engageable with each other to limit extension of the housing.

12. In a tractor mower having a power takeo and a mower drive; means for transmitting power from the power take-off to the mower drive comprising spaced universal joints, and telescoping driving means extending between said universal joints, and a housing for said universal joints and telescoping driving means comprising universally mounted spherical caps for said universal joints, telescoping tubes enclosing said telescoping driving means,-rigid anchorage means on said caps for the remote ends of said tubes, a tubular stop rigid with one tube at its free end and sleeved upon the second tube, and a tubular stop rigid with the second tube within the first mentioned tube and engageable with the first mentioned stop to limit extension of the housing. p

13. In a tractor mower having a power takeoff and a mower drive; means for transmitting power from the power take-off to the mower drive comprising spaced universal joints, and telescoping driving means extending between said universal joints, and a housing for said universal joints and telescoping driving means comprising universally mounted spherical caps for said universal joints, telescoping tubes enclosing said telescoping driving means, rigid anchorage.

means on said caps for the remote ends of said tubes, and stops carried by said tubes at the free ends thereof and engageable with each other to limit extension of the housing, and yieldable means outside the housing and operatively con-- nected to the latter to resist collapse of the housing.

14. In a moving machine, a tractor having a power take-off shaft, a sickle bar, and a driving connection between the power take-o shaft and sickle bar including spaced universal joints, one being operatively connected to the power take-off shaft, the other being operatively connected to the sickle bar, each of said universal joints having a stub shaft, a tube rigid with and projecting endwise from one of said stub shafts, a shaft rigid with and projecting endwise from said tube, and a tube rigid with the other stub shaft and splined upon the shaft just mentioned in spaced relation to the first mentioned tube.

15. In a tractor mower having a power take-off and a mower drive; means for transmitting power from the power take-oi! to the mower drive comprising spaced universal joints, each having a stub shaft, torque transmitting tubes rigid with and projecting endwise from said stub shafts, said tubes extending toward but terminating short of each other, one of said tubes being splined, the other of said tubes being unsplined, and a shaft rigid with and projecting endwise from the unsplined tube, the free end of said last mentioned shaft being splined and engaging the splined part of the first mentioned tube in spaced relation to one of the stub shafts aforesaid.

16. In a mowing machine, a tractor having a power take-oil shaft, a sickle bar adjacent the tractor, and a driving connection between the power take-off shaft and sickle bar including spaced universal joints, one being operatively connected to the power take-ofi' shaft, the other being operatively connected to the sickle bar, each of said universal joints having a stub shaft, a tube rigid with and projecting endwise from one of said stub shafts, a shaft rigid with and projecting endwise from said tube, and a tube rigid with the other stub shaft and splined upon the shaft just mentioned in spaced relation to the first mentioned tube, and a protecting housing for said tubes and associated shaft including universally mounted caps for the universal joints having axially extending tubular portions provided with lateral flanges, `and telescoping tubes enclosing said tubes and shaft aforesaid and having their remote ends rigidly secured to said lateral flanges.

17. In a mowing machine, a tractor having a power take-off shaft, a sickle bar, and a driving connection between the power take-off shaft and sickle bar including spaced universal joints, one being operatively connected to the power take-off shaft, the other being operatively connected to the sickle bar,each of said universal joints having a stub shaft, a tube rigid with and projecting endwise from one of said stub shafts, a shaft rigid with and projecting endwise from said tube, a tube rigid with the other stub shaft and splined upon the shaft just mentioned in spaced relation to the first mentioned tube, and a protecting housing for said tubes and associated shaft including spherically yformed shells for the universal joints having tubular portions concentric with said tubes, and telescoping tubes carried by said tubular portions and enclosing the tubes and shaft aforesaid.

18. In a tractor mower having a power take-off and a mower drive; means for transmitting power from the power take-off to the mower drive comprising spaced universal joints, each having a stub shaft, torque transmitting tubes rigid with and projecting endwise from said stub shafts', said tubes extending toward but terminating short of each other, one of said tubes being splined, the other of said tubes being unsplined, a shaft rigid with and projecting endwise from the unsplined tube, the free end of said last mentioned shaft being splined and engaging the splined part of the rst mentioned tube in spaced relation to one of the stub shafts aforesaid, and a protecting housing for said tubes and associated shaft including spherically formed shells for the universal joints having tubular portions concentric with said tubes, and telescoping tubes carried by said tubular portions and enclosing the tubes and shaft aforesaid.

spiinedupon the shaft Just mentioned in spaced relation to the rst mentioned tube, and a protesting housing for said tubes and associated shaft including universally mounted spherically formed shells for the universal joints having tubular portions concentric with said tubes and provided with lateral flanges, and telescoping tubes carried by said lateral flanges-and enclosing the tubes and shaft aforesaid.

HOWARD W. SIMPSON. 

